John w



(No Model.)

J. W. WEAR.

, WIRE TIGHTENER.

No. 376,695. Patented Jan. 17, 1888;

WITNESSES INVENTOR ATTORNEYS;

/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC I JOHNWW. WEAR, or ELDORADO sranves, MISSOURI.

WIRE-TIGHTEN'ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part'of Letters Patent No. 376,695, dated January 17, 1888.

Application filed August 24, 1887. Serial No. 247,787. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.- I I Be it known that 1, JOHN W. WEAR, of Eldorado Springs, in the county of Cedar and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wire-Tighteners, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved wire-tightener intended to tighten fence and other wires, and is adapted for tightening up the wires of fences and other structures already built, as well as for use in the building of such structures; and the invention consists in certain improved constructions and novel combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and

pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved wire-tightener as in use. Fig. 2is a front View thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the straining-lever and thepivotpin with bearings therefor, and Fig. 4 illustrates the operation of the invention.

The tongs A Aare pivoted together at a, and have their jaws B provided in their ends with notches b, forming guides for the wire to be stretched. These jaws, it will be seen, are so arranged that they may be moved alongside of each other, the ends having the guides eX- tending past each other, it may be to the position shown in Fig. 2. WVhen so adjusted in the operation of the invention, the jaws will brace each other when the tongs are rotated to twist the slack of the wire, as will be de scribed hereinafter. A straining-lever, C, is pivoted to the tongs. By preference the bearings for this lever are provided on the pivot pin or bolt D oftthe tongs, as shown. construction is preferred; but manifestly the bearings for the lever might be provided in numerous other ways without departing from some of the broad principles of my invention. The lever is connected with the wire to be strained by a rod or chain connection, E, having at one end a hook, e, to facilitate connection with the said wire.

The lever G is provided with a number of holes at different points, in order that the connection E may be united therewith at different distances from its center, in order that more or less strain can be exerted, as may be desired.

In use the jaws are placed against a wire .claim as new is- This.

and the lever connected with such wire, when by operating the lever the slack of wire may be taken up. Then by closing the tongs and rotating the same the wire may be twisted to secure the slack. v v The invention is-simple, efficient, and will be found very convenient in use.

I do not in this application seek to cover,. broadly, the combination, with the tongs, of a looper thereon toengage the wire at a point intermediate of the edges ofthejaws ofthe-tongs,

and form a loop or bend for the'jaws to grasp and twist, as such subject-matter is claimed in a separate application for patent filed by me January 22, 1887, Serial No. 225,171.

Having thusdescribed my invention, whatI,

1. A wire-tightener comprising a pairof tongs having their jaws movable alongside of l and past each otherwhen the tongs are closed and constructed to guide the wire when the tongs are open, whereby the wire may be drawn. between said jaws to form aloop or bend when the tongsare open and such tongs maybe closed and rotated to twist and secure such loop or bend, substantially as set forth.

2. A wire-tightener comprising a pair of tongs having their jaws provided with guides for the wire,'a lever pivotally supported on said tongs, and a connection for joining said lever with the wire to be'stretched, substantially as set forth. I

3. The improved wire-tightener herein described, consisting ofthe tongs having their jaws movable alongside of and past each other and provided with guides for the wire to be stretched, thelever supported in hearings on said tongs, and the connection for joining said lever with'the wire to, be'stretched, all substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. In a wire stretcher, the tongs, the pivotpin thereof having bearings for the lever, the lever, and connections between said lever and the wire to be stretched, substantially asset forth.

JOHN 1V. \VEAR.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. PRIOHARD, G. L. FULKERSON. 

